The most reclusive nation on Earth has just bumped their detained U.S. Citizen count to three. Tony Kim, who also goes by his Korean name, Kim Sang-duk, has supposedly been arrested by North Korean authorities at Sunan International Airport in Pyongyang on Saturday, according to Park Chan-mo, the chancellor of Pyongyang University of Science and Technology.

South Korea's news agency Yonhap News Agency indicated that the description of the person detained was "in his late 50s and is a former professor at Yanbian University, [and] has been involved in aid and relief programs to North Korea." The Swedish Embassy in Pyongyang also confirmed that a Korean-American had been detained.

A North Korean soldier takes picture of an American soldier and a Korean military police officer on the DMZ line. Source: The Korea Times

With already rocky relations with Washington, Pyongyang probably seeks to use Mr. Kim as a game piece and bargaining chip with the United States, as the US already begins making military arrangements to contain the regime. In response, “Our revolutionary forces are combat-ready to sink a U.S. nuclear-powered aircraft carrier with a single strike,” claims Rodong Sinmun, the North Korean State newspaper.

North Korea has a history of detaining foreign citizens, often times framing them for dubious charges/crimes to justify their detainment. The Conservative Nut will continue to seek information and update as we learn more.